OtterCastAudio V2 Is Set to Become an Alternative to Chromecast Audio
Based on an Allwinner S3 Cortex-A7, the open source audio streaming device runs Linux.
After the disappointing news of Chromecast udio being discontinued, it left users clamouring. With this, everyone looked at the alternatives that would make it perfect for your home audio system. To add another option to Chromecast Audio comes the OtterCastAudio V2, which is set to become a viable option on the market.
Designed by the team of Niklas Fauth, Jana Marie Hemsing, Toble Miner and Tobias Mädel, the new alternative is built around the Allwinner S3 Cortex-A7 processor with 128 MB DDR3 RAM. OtterCastAudio V2 runs on Linux operating system and can be configured via the config.sh file or a web interface. Additionally, the board packs an AP6236 chip for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities. With an Ethernet port, it also supports this protocol for the convenience of the user.
Some of the supported protocols include the Shairport Sync used as an Apple AirPlay audio player for all iOS devices. Also, for Spotify users, Spotify Connect support enables you to stream songs directly from the application.
As mentioned earlier, the firmware is built using buildroot with "running a mainline Linux kernel with GNU userland, systemd, PulseAudio and Avahi. The procedure is identical to a Raspberry Pi. Make sure to unzip (.gz/gzip) the firmware before writing it to a card," its creators note. The current firmware binaries are available in the project's GitHub repository.
There seem to be small product batches as of now. If you are interested in getting the device right away then you can find all the production files with complete BOM and placement files on GitHub.